93. The Last Word - The Gulf of Neighbors
This week’s Last Word commentary reflects on the enduring connections between Texas and Mexico through the Gulf of Mexico—a shared space of culture, trade, and history. As the relationship between these neighbors faces new challenges in the next...
This week’s Last Word commentary reflects on the enduring connections between Texas and Mexico through the Gulf of Mexico—a shared space of culture, trade, and history.
As the relationship between these neighbors faces new challenges in the next Trump presidency, Bob Rivard explores how the Gulf symbolizes both unity and division. With proposals like renaming the Gulf to the “Gulf of America” floating in political discourse, this commentary examines what’s at stake for the communities and economies shaped by this vital waterway.
Join us for a thoughtful reflection on the Gulf’s significance—a place where shared histories collide with shifting political tides. Watch, listen, or read below.
The Last Word: The Gulf of Neighbors
I moved to Brownsville as a young man in 1975, where new friends introduced me to saltwater fishing in the surf of Boca Chica Beach, where the Rio Grande empties into the Gulf of Mexico and at low tide, the people from Matamoros across the river, also were fishing. At low tide, we could converse with other familiar regulars. Some waded and swam across.
We were like neighbors communing over the fence.
No one called the body of water the Gulf of Mexico or the river dividing the two cities the Rio Grande. We called it “the gulf,” or “el golfo” in Spanish. We both called the river “the river” or “el Rio.” Both referred to the side as “el otro lado.” No one said it in English.
In those pre-cartel days, crossing cost a quarter and we never gave our security a second thought. I learned as much Spanish in Matamoros restaurants and clubs as I did from the Spanish Made Easy textbook I bought for self-learning.
People crossed the two bridges to work, take their children to school, visit extended family, and above all, to shop. Americans and Mexicans alike were attracted to options al otro lado.
We were neighbors.
Now President Donald Trump is demanding a change in name, turning the Gulf of Mexico, so-named for centuries, to the Gulf of America. “We own it,” he said. No, we do not. That was one of the many falsehoods the returning president pedaled on Inauguration Day.
Those who live and work along the Gulf Coast are likely to stick to what has always worked: the gulf, el golfo. I can’t imagine how expensive it is going to be if Trump succeeds in forcing a name change that, even if enacted, is likely to never take root and likely to last only four years.
A proposed name change might not mean much to some. It means a lot to me. It’s part of a much larger campaign to vilify Mexico and Mexicans and end our neighborly relations. The majority of this country’s Latinos/Hispanics are of Mexican descent.
Mexico is now the largest trading partner of the United States, and our need to reduce our economic and manufacturing dependence on China means trade with Mexico will only continue to grow.
Unless we screw it up. Tariffs deployed as a political tool to force Mexico to bow to the United States on all immigration issues will screw things up. We will feel it in San Antonio.
We are as mutually dependent on one another as neighbors are everywhere. Even now, living a three-hour drive north of the border, part of me will always be rooted there. Mexicans will always be my neighbors.
And I’ll always call it “the gulf,” or si voy al otro lado, “el golfo.”
That’s my Last Word for this week. Thank you for watching, listening, or reading.
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Welcome to the last word, my weekly commentary on life and work in San
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Antonio and Texas. I moved to Brownsville as a young man
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in 1975 where new friends introduced me to
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saltwater fishing in the surf at Boca Chica Beach where
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the Rio Grande empties into the, you guessed it, the Gulf of Mexico.
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People from Matamoros were fishing across the river and easily
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spotted. In fact, at low tide, we could converse with other familiar
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regulars. Some waited and swam across. We were like
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neighbors communing over the fence. No one called the body of
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water the Gulf of Mexico or the river dividing Brownsville
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and Matamoros the Rio Grande. We called it the gulf
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or El Golfo in Spanish. We both called the river the
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river or El Rio. Both referred to the other side as El
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Otrolado. No one said it in English. In those pre
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cartel days, crossing cost a quarter, 25¢, and we
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never gave our security a second thought. I learned as much
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Spanish in Matamoros restaurants and clubs as I did from the
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Spanish made easy textbook I bought for self learning.
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People crossed the two bridges to work, to take their children to
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school, to visit extended family, and above all, to
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shop. Americans and Mexicans alike were attracted to
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options. We were neighbors.
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Now president Donald Trump is demanding a change in name, turning
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the Gulf of Mexico, so named for centuries, to the Gulf of
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America. We own it, he said in his inaugural
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remarks. No. We do not own it. That was one of the
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many falsehoods the returning president peddled on inauguration day.
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Those who live and work along the Gulf Coast are likely to stick to what
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has always worked, the gulf, El Golfo. I
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can't imagine how expensive it is going to be if Trump
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succeeds enforcing a name change that even if it enacted
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is likely to never take root and likely to last only 4 years.
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A proposed name change might not mean much to some. It
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means a lot to me. It's part of a much larger campaign to
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vilify Mexico and Mexicans and end our neighborly
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relations. The majority of this country's Latinos or
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Hispanics are of Mexican descent. Mexico
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is now the largest trading partner of the United States and
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our need to reduce our economic and manufacturing dependence on
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China means trade with Mexico will only continue
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to grow. You're hearing it all the time near shoring.
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Unless we screw it up, tariffs deployed as a political tool
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to force Mexico to bow to the United States on all
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immigration issues will screw things up, and we will
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feel it in San Antonio. We are as mutually dependent
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on one another as neighbors are everywhere. Even now, living a
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3 hour drive north of the border, part of me will always be
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rooted there. Mexicans will always be my neighbors,
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and I'll always call it the gulf or
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That's my last word for this week. Please connect with us every
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Friday for the weekly conversations on Big City Small Town, and
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